YMCA REOPENS – The ribbon was finally cut on the Hoboken-North Hudson YMCA last week to celebrate the completion of a long renovation process. The renovations include 96 new single room occupancy units, the installation of a new elevator, and a new fifth floor. Rents for the single room occupancy units will be between $365 and $578 per month, depending on income. Applications are still being accepted as not all units have been rented. The maximum eligible income limits for the units are $16,200 for a low income unit and $27,000 for a moderate income unit.

School officials postponed the special parent feedback meeting that was originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 6 due to the nasty weather. The meeting’s intent was to gauge how parents feel about moving seventh graders to Hoboken High School, thereby creating a junior high/middle school at the high school. The new meeting date will be Wednesday, March 13 at Hoboken High School at 7 p.m. Depending on how parents react, the next phase of implementation will be to poll the students.

2nd Annual Hoboken Irish Festival is Wednesday

Mayor Dawn Zimmer and the city of Hoboken present the Hoboken Irish Festival scheduled for Wednesday, March 13 from 3 to 10 p.m. in Sinatra Park at Fourth Street and Sinatra Drive. Admission to the festival is free. It will feature live performances by The Prodigals, Gold n/Brown, Will O’Connor, Colin Nisbet, the Jersey City Firefighters Pipe Band and more. There will be activities for the entire family including dancing, face-painting, crafts and a demo by the Hoboken Hurling Club. Chef Anthony Pino and the Anthony David’s team will provide dining choices. Chef Pino’s On the Flipside burger shack will provide hamburgers and Anthony David’s is set to feature a fish n’ chips station. Chef Pino’s wine bar Bin 14 will provide the beer. For more information call (201) 420-2207 or visit the Hoboken website.

16 Handles grand opening March 16

Frozen yogurt brand 16 Handles will celebrate the grand opening of their new Hoboken location at Maxwell Place, 1125 Maxwell Lane (corner of Eleventh Street and Sinatra Drive), on Saturday, March 16 from noon to 11 p.m. To celebrate, 16 Handles will offer guests free frozen yogurt (one per guest, up to $5), all day during store hours. In addition, there will be free face painting from 1 to 4 p.m. and DJ Davis Mallory from MTV’s “The Real World” will spin live music from 7 to 10 p.m.

The new 1,600 square foot store will feature 16 rotating flavors of yogurt, a fully loaded toppings bar, cakes and sandwiches. Store hours are from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Stevens Institute building Smart City Lab on campus

Stevens Institute of Technology is partnering with the City of Hoboken on a joint research initiative focusing on the use of information technology and smart devices for improved urban service management and governance.

“Smart City: Hoboken” is a three-year research collaboration between the Hoboken government and Stevens faculty and students that aims to leverage sensor technologies, public data and smart devices such as smart phones and tablets to provide citizens and city decision-makers with information for improved service delivery and utilization.

As part of the project, Stevens is building a Smart City Lab on its Hoboken campus, which will leverage crowd-sourcing information and environmental, emergency management, traffic and energy metering sensors to provide citizens with information about traffic situations, parking availability, energy consumption and sustainability, air and noise pollution, and emergency response.

“With the incredible talent from Stevens, we are taking an exciting step towards further establishing Hoboken as a tech hub,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “The Smart City project is an opportunity to build a more informed community and responsive government.”

Jersey City church to hold local support group

St. John’s Lutheran Church will be the host site for a new support group for individuals, friends and families who are looking to connect during life’s challenging times. If you’re facing a major illness or stressful life change, you don’t have to go it alone. A support group can help. This will be a non-professional self help group.

This group will be held at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 155 North St., Jersey City, every Monday evening from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Coffee and tea will be available. Enter through back door of the church in the parking lot on Summit Avenue.

Support groups bring together people facing similar issues, whether that’s illness, relationship problems or major life changes. Members of support groups often share experiences and advice. It can be helpful just getting to talk with other people who are in the same boat. A support group can help you cope better and feel less isolated as you make connections with others facing similar challenges. Many are offered support by family and friends, but you may find it helpful to turn to others outside your immediate circle. We all need a caring shoulder sometimes, or a place where we can cry, laugh, hug, or pray.

For any other info, call Rose Davis (201) 214-5300 or email her at rosednj25@aim.com.

Please call if there is bad weather to make sure that night’s meeting has not been cancelled.

Women’s History Month readings

A literary reading will be held at the Hoboken Public Library on Thursday, March 14 at 6 p.m. in honor of Women’s History Month. Artist, writer and disability activist Harilyn Rousso will read from her memoir, “Don’t Call Me Inspirational: A Disabled Feminist Talks Back.” The library’s young adults department will also host Hoboken students reading poems by women on Friday, March 22 at 2 p.m. For more information call (201) 420-2347.